Fact sheet on Domestic workers in Asia and the Pacific

Work in households and homes is as old as time, vital for the well-being of families, communities and societies at large. Traditionally done by women and girls without pay, domestic work is often not perceived as “real employment”. Some argue that women’s contribution to the home and general social good is immeasurable, and so precious that any effort to add a price tag only demeans their contribution. This genderbiased argument has resulted in the effective, systematic, marginalization and undervaluation of domestic work.